Project Mongrel
by rising.galaxy
Summary: The classics Club is needed again! Someone is stealing projects from other classes, and tension is building. There's definitely a pattern here, but what's on those videos that someone doesn't want the rest of the school seeing? And what does that have to do with Oreki? Why drag him into this? How can the classics club manage while being one member down? Slight romance later on


Oreki walked into the geography prep room, and saw Chitanda sitting at her usual spot by the window, waiting for him. The sunlight streamed through windows, on the sunny afternoon.

"Oreki!" Chitanda said while jumping slightly as she got out of her seat. "good afternoon!"

"Hello, Chitanda." He said, in his usual apathetic voice. He walked over to the desk by the window and set his bag down while taking a seat. He pulled a book out of his bag and set it on the desk.

"Any new mysteries bouncing around in your head?" Chitanda asked. "I'm curious about it." She said while leaning towards him slightly.

Oreki blushed and leaned away, "Why are you always so... curious?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

Chitanda giggled "Because I want to see what's inside that head of yours! You're so good at solving mysteries, but what about the mystery that's you?" Oreki rolled his eyes as he looked at the cover of his book.

"I am completely ordinary." He said while staring out the window. Chitanda giggled at him.

"Of course, Oreki."

The day continued on, with Chitanda making side comments about little things, and Oreki choosing to make his responses as minute as possible, to conserve energy. When the time strolled around to 5:00, Oreki stood up and grabbed his bag.

"Time to go, are you ready?" He said while looking down at her. Chitanda's purple eyes sparkled slightly as she smiled and stood up. She leaned down and grabbed her bag and jumped slightly.

"ready!" She said, and grabbed his hand and walked out of the classroom with him. They made their way down the stairs, and to the front of the school, to change their shoes at their lockers.

"Wait for me at the front of the school, okay?" Chitanda said. "I need to grab my bike." Oreki nodded, as he put his shoes on and began to walk outside. Chitanda jogged past him and he couldn't help but think about how cute she looks with her hair swishing from side to side. He blushed and shook his head; clearing the thought as quickly it had came to him. The wind had begun to pick up more as the sun set and Oreki looked around the corner for Chitanda when he noticed two upperclassmen staring at him, and whispering. He pretended not to notice, but he began to think about it. Ever since his name had gotten around as the schools "detective" recently, some students were not taking it very nicely, but as if Oreki really cared. He acted like he hadn't seen the two boys muttering about him and continued to wait for Chitanda. He heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see them walk past, one of them making eye contact with him while the other walked at a hurried pace. He turned away quickly, hoping she would hurry up.

"Oreki! I'm sorry for making you wait so long!" Chitanda said while walking out with her bike.

"It's fine, let's just go home." Oreki said, as the sun continued to set lower in the sky.

They walked together in comfortable silence, as the breeze grew into a strong wind and blew Chitanda's hair around, and she looked up at Oreki and smiled.

"I'm curious about something, Oreki..." she said. _Here we go _Oreki thought.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Did you see those two boys by the front entrance while I was getting my bike?" Oreki's eyes widened- _so there was something defiantly going on here, if even Chitanda noticed it, then it must be really obvious too. There must want something to do with me...? But what? And why?_

"yeah, what about them?" Oreki asked, while looking up at the twilight sky. The wind blew again, rustling the trees, and Oreki got the unsettling feeling that someone was watching them, despite the fact that they were alone and it was quiet.

"I think... and I don't want to be rude about talking about other people like this, but... I think they were talking about you!" Chitanda exclamed as her eyes widened. Oreki shrugged, and Chitanda looked at him, puzzled by his lack of a reaction. "Are you not concerned?" She asked.

"Did you hear what they were saying?" he said while looking at her, his green eyes stormy and serious.

"No." she said, while sounding mildly disappointed.

"Then I'm not worried about it."

They had reached the part of where they split to go to their separate houses, and Oreki noticed how dark it had become on their way to the crosswalk. He looked at Chitanda, who didn't seem to take it into consideration that it would be dark by the time she would get home, and began to think.

_Well, I could invite her over... but then that might be too much from her, and having her stay out even later isn't exactly the best option. But neither is riding home in the dark, plus she's invited you over; you should return the favor. Then again, what happened to conserving energy in the first place? Chitanda has made you throw your motto out the window completely. But do you really want a grey life anyway? Just ask her if she would like to stay because it's getting late._

"Um, Chitanda" Oreki said.

"Yes, Oreki?" She said.

"W-would you like to come over, since it's getting dark and you live far away?" She smiled at his offer, making him blush furiously, and he looked away slightly.

"That's really sweet of you, Oreki." She said, while also blushing. "But I really think that I should be heading home now." she said with a soft smile on her face. "Thank you for your offer though, I appreciate it."

Oreki blushed even harder, before smiling slightly at Chitanda "it's fine. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Chitanda nodded and smiled "Yeah! See you tomorrow!"

Oreki smiled softly to himself as they parted ways. He watched her get on her bike and watched as the wind blew her black hair to the side, and how it seemed to fit into the shadows perfectly. He turned to walk the other direction and crossed the street to go home. The darkness from the now almost set sun unsettled him- usually he didn't mind the dark, but the feeling that someone was watching him was still bothering him, so he kept looking back behind him as he walked home.

He wasn't expecting the two boys from earlier to come from his left side.


End file.
